


Safekeeping

by laira348



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 15:19:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4611669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laira348/pseuds/laira348
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumplestiltskin makes sure his maid will be safe during the curse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Safekeeping

The curse was almost finished. All that was left was a drop of true love. Rumplestiltskin didn't posses such thing – not yet. And he won’t for a while. So he had to wait. It wasn’t a problem for him, he was used to waiting. He waited over three hundred years. He could wait a little longer.

But he had spare time and his mind was racing, because there was another thing to be done.

His little maid. The curse, or at least the way Regina will cast it, rips you away from those you love. He already did that to her, which he alarmingly enough appeared to regret lately. But he can fool himself all he wants, there's no denying he cares about her.

The curse, or Regina, should she find out about Belle, could take her from him, or worse - destroy their tentative friendship and left hatred in its place. He couldn't bear that. As much as he hated how weak it made him, he cared about her too much for that.

He had plenty of plans to ensure his own safety. He knew his position will be secure, that he'll deal with Regina for that. But telling her of Belle wasn’t an option. He'll only alert her of his weakness which she’ll happily exploit, should she find a loophole in their agreement. He won’t remember, not until the savior comes. He won’t be able to protect her until that and possibly not at all till he gets his magic back.

There was, of course, a solution. To write her a place in the curse - safe, with him - would be simple. Regina won’t know a thing and even if she suspects she won’t be able to actually do anything. And he won’t be alone, his fierce caretaker along with him in this strange new land.

She wanted an adventure. And he can give it to her.  
*   
Rumplestiltskin stumbled out of Granny's. His head was throbbing, trying to process too much information at once. He had to get home before someone spotted him and reported his strange behavior to the mayor. It's best for him to be alone now.

He entered his cadillac, when a certain memory demanded his attention. His house wasn't empty. He wasn’t living alone. He had a…a maid? How cruel of Regina to give Belle's place to –

Belle was his maid.

Belle was alive.

His entire body shook. His Belle - his sweet, precious Belle - was waiting home for him. He didn’t think about the how’s - the how’s didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting to her.

He drove way over the speed limit, but he was way past caring. His ankle ached as he ran the steps up to his house, but none of it mattered. He fumbled with the key, having to pause for a second to stop his hands from shaking so much. He entered the house and –

"Good evening Mr. Gold!" She beamed at him just like she did every day.

He should respond by saying ‘Good evening, Miss French.’ and try not to get caught when he watched her when he thought she wasn’t looking. He saw her this morning, but he hasn’t seen her in decades and he thought he'd never see her again. And now she was in front of him in one piece, smiling like he never hurt her and caused her death. Like she never died in the first place.

“Belle,” he sobbed. Her smile vanished immediately. She stepped closer in what seemed to be concern.

"Are you alright, Mr. Gold?"

He seemed to have lost the ability to speak, like he did often in her presence. Instead of trying to explain he wrapped his arms around her waist and clutched her close. She froze for a moment, obviously not expecting him to drop his mask and reach out to her, but then she hugged him back and, oh, he missed her touch so much.

She let him cry into the croon of her neck, petting his hair and murmuring some soothing nonsense he didn't hear, too focused on her melodic voice to make out the words. When he calmed down a bit he let go of her, though he still kept her close.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly. He shook his head no.

"That’s okay. Just remember the offer still stands if you change your mind,” she smiled reassuringly at him. How he missed her lovely smile. “I could make you some tea if you’d like?"

"Tea sounds nice. Thank you, my dear."

He sat down on a nearby chair, very confused, but very happy. He observed the room idly, trying to pass the time until Belle came back with the tea. The room looked, well, a little unkempt considering the fact he had a live-in housekeeper. Wasn't it funny, that after all these years, she was still such an incompetent maid? But she made an excellent companion, he thought as he watched her bring the tea tray and pour him tea into a familiar chipped cup. He won’t take that for granted this time around.


End file.
